The Chapter on the Ceremony of Descent

AN 10.113 Bad Principles (1st) Paṭhamaadhammasutta

"Mendicants, you should know bad principles with bad results. And you should know good principles with good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

And what are bad principles with bad results? Wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. These are called bad principles with bad results.

And what are good principles with good results? Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. These are called good principles with good results.

'You should know bad principles with bad results. And you should know good principles with good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.' That's what I said, and this is why I said it."

AN 10.114 Bad Principles (2nd) Dutiyaadhammasutta

"Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results?

Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results.

Wrong thought is a bad principle. Right thought is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong thought are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right thought are good results.

Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong speech are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right speech are good results.

Wrong action is a bad principle. Right action is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong action are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right action are good results.

Wrong livelihood is a bad principle. Right livelihood is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong livelihood are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right livelihood are good results.

Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right effort is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong effort are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right effort are good results.

Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong mindfulness are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right mindfulness are good results.

Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right immersion is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong immersion are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right immersion are good results.

Wrong knowledge is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong knowledge are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right knowledge are good results.

Wrong freedom is a bad principle. Right freedom is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right freedom are good results.

'You should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.' That's what I said, and this is why I said it."

AN 10.115 Bad Principles (3rd) Tatiyaadhammasutta

That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered, "The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha?"

Then they considered, "This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Let's go to him, and ask him about this matter. As he answers, so we'll remember it."

Then those mendicants went to Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. They told him what had happened, and said, "May Venerable Ānanda please explain this."

"Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he'd come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he'd pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you overlooked him, imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha's answer."

"Certainly he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha's answer. Still, Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. You are capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Please explain this, if it's no trouble."

"Then listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, reverend," they replied. Ānanda said this:

"Reverends, the Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: 'You should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.'

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results?

Wrong thought is a bad principle. Right thought is a good principle. ... Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a good principle. ... Wrong action is a bad principle. Right action is a good principle. ... Wrong livelihood is a bad principle. Right livelihood is a good principle. ... Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right effort is a good principle. ... Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good principle. ... Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right immersion is a good principle. ... Wrong knowledge is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle. ...

The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: 'You should know bad principles and good principles ... and practice accordingly.' And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this summary recital. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha's answer."

"Yes, reverend," said those mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Ānanda said. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then they said:

"Sir, we went to Ānanda and asked him about this matter. And Ānanda clearly explained the meaning to us in this manner, with these words and phrases."

"Good, good, mendicants! Ānanda is astute, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Ānanda. That is what it means, and that's how you should remember it."

AN 10.116 With Ajita Ajitasutta

Then the wanderer Ajita went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, "Mister Gotama, we have a spiritual companion called 'Astute'. He has worked out around five hundred arguments by which followers of other religions will know when they've been refuted."

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, "Mendicants, do you remember this Astute's points?"

"Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! Let the Buddha speak and the mendicants will remember it."

"Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"Mendicants, take a certain person who rebuts and quashes unprincipled statements with unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly, who make a dreadful racket: 'He is truly astute! He is truly astute!'

Another person rebuts and quashes principled statements with unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly, who make a dreadful racket: 'He is truly astute! He is truly astute!'

Another person rebuts and quashes principled and unprincipled statements with unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly, who make a dreadful racket: 'He is truly astute! He is truly astute!'

Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results? Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results.

AN 10.117 With Saṅgārava Saṅgāravasutta

Then Saṅgārava the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

"Mister Gotama, what is the near shore? And what is the far shore?"

"Wrong view is the near shore, brahmin, and right view is the far shore. Wrong thought is the near shore, and right thought is the far shore. Wrong speech is the near shore, and right speech is the far shore. Wrong action is the near shore, and right action is the far shore. Wrong livelihood is the near shore, and right livelihood is the far shore. Wrong effort is the near shore, and right effort is the far shore. Wrong mindfulness is the near shore, and right mindfulness is the far shore. Wrong immersion is the near shore, and right immersion is the far shore. Wrong knowledge is the near shore, and right knowledge is the far shore. Wrong freedom is the near shore, and right freedom is the far shore. This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.

Few are those among humans
who cross to the far shore.
The rest just run around
on the near shore.
When the teaching is well explained,
those who practice accordingly
are the ones who will cross over
Death's dominion so hard to pass.
Rid of dark qualities,
an astute person should develop the bright.
Leaving home behind
for the seclusion so hard to enjoy,
find delight there,
having left behind sensual pleasures.
With no possessions, an astute person
would cleanse themselves of mental corruptions.
Those whose minds are rightly developed
in the awakening factors;
who, letting go of attachments,
delight in not grasping:
with defilements ended, brilliant,
they are quenched in this world."

AN 10.118 The Near Shore Orimatīrasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you the near shore and the far shore. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"And what, mendicants, is the near shore? What is the far shore? Wrong view is the near shore, and right view is the far shore. ... Wrong freedom is the near shore, and right freedom is the far shore. This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.

Few are those among humans
who cross to the far shore.
The rest just run
around on the near shore.
When the teaching is well explained,
those who practice accordingly
are the ones who will cross over
Death's dominion so hard to pass.
Rid of dark qualities,
an astute person should develop the bright.
Leaving home behind
for the seclusion so hard to enjoy,
you should try to find delight there,
having left behind sensual pleasures.
With no possessions, an astute person
should cleanse themselves of mental corruptions.
And those whose minds are rightly developed
in the awakening factors;
letting go of attachments,
they delight in not grasping.
With defilements ended, brilliant,
they are quenched in this world."

AN 10.119 The Ceremony of Descent (1st) Paṭhamapaccorohaṇīsutta

Now, at that time it was the sabbath. The brahmin Jānussoṇi had bathed his head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. Holding a handful of fresh grass, he stood to one side not far from the Buddha.

The Buddha saw him, and said, "Brahmin, why have you bathed your head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes? Why are you standing to one side holding a handful of fresh grass? What's going on today with the brahmin clan?"

"Mister Gotama, today is the ceremony of descent for the brahmin clan."

"But how do the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent?"

"Well, Mister Gotama, on the sabbath the brahmins bathe their heads and dress in a new pair of linen robes. They make a heap of fresh cow dung and spread it with green grass. Then they make their beds between the boundary and the fire chamber. That night they rise three times and worship the fire with joined palms: 'We descend, lord! We descend, lord!' And they serve the fire with abundant ghee, oil, and butter. And when the night has passed they serve the brahmins with delicious fresh and cooked foods. That's how the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent."

"The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One."

"But Mister Gotama, how is the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One? Mister Gotama, please teach me this."

"Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes sir," Jānussoṇi replied. The Buddha said this:

"It's when a noble disciple reflects: 'Wrong view has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, they descend from wrong view.

'Wrong thought has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong thought, they descend from wrong thought.

'Wrong speech has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong speech, they descend from wrong speech.

'Wrong action has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong action, they descend from wrong action.

'Wrong livelihood has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong livelihood, they descend from wrong livelihood.

'Wrong effort has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong effort, they descend from wrong effort.

'Wrong mindfulness has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong mindfulness, they descend from wrong mindfulness.

'Wrong immersion has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong immersion, they descend from wrong immersion.

'Wrong knowledge has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong knowledge, they descend from wrong knowledge.

'Wrong freedom has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong freedom, they descend from wrong freedom. This is the ceremony of descent in the training of the Noble One."

"The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One. And, Mister Gotama, the ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of a master of the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One. Excellent, Mister Gotama! ... From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life."

AN 10.120 The Ceremony of Descent (2nd) Dutiyapaccorohaṇīsutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you the noble descent. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak. ... And what is the noble descent? It's when a noble disciple reflects: 'Wrong view has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, they descend from wrong view. 'Wrong thought has a bad result ...' ... 'Wrong speech ...' ... 'Wrong action ...' ... 'Wrong livelihood ...' ... 'Wrong effort ...' ... 'Wrong mindfulness ...' ... 'Wrong immersion ...' ... 'Wrong knowledge ...' ... 'Wrong freedom has a bad result in both this life and the next.' Reflecting like this, they give up wrong freedom, they descend from wrong freedom. This is called the noble descent."

AN 10.121 Forerunner Pubbaṅgamasutta

"Mendicants, the dawn is the forerunner and precursor of the sunrise. In the same way right view is the forerunner and precursor of skillful qualities. Right view gives rise to right thought. Right thought gives rise to right speech. Right speech gives rise to right action. Right action gives rise to right livelihood. Right livelihood gives rise to right effort. Right effort gives rise to right mindfulness. Right mindfulness gives rise to right immersion. Right immersion gives rise to right knowledge. Right knowledge gives rise to right freedom."

AN 10.122 The Ending of Defilements Āsavakkhayasutta

"Mendicants, these ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements. What ten? Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. These ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements."

The Chapter on the Ceremony of Descent ​

AN 10.113 Bad Principles (1st) Paṭhamaadhammasutta ​

AN 10.114 Bad Principles (2nd) Dutiyaadhammasutta ​

AN 10.115 Bad Principles (3rd) Tatiyaadhammasutta ​

AN 10.116 With Ajita Ajitasutta ​

AN 10.117 With Saṅgārava Saṅgāravasutta ​

AN 10.118 The Near Shore Orimatīrasutta ​

AN 10.119 The Ceremony of Descent (1st) Paṭhamapaccorohaṇīsutta ​

AN 10.120 The Ceremony of Descent (2nd) Dutiyapaccorohaṇīsutta ​

AN 10.121 Forerunner Pubbaṅgamasutta ​

AN 10.122 The Ending of Defilements Āsavakkhayasutta ​